AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy makes fresh plea for special status

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday requested the 15th Finance Commission to recommend a Rs 40,543 crore grant citing that the state has been facing financial imbalances due to bifurcation. He said the grant would help compensate for the resource gap and noted that there is a critical need to rebuild the state of Andhra Pradesh. Further, the Chief Minister requested the Commission to recommend the grant of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, as well as tax concessions and industrial incentives to help attract investments. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in an official statement noted that the bifurcation of the Telugu states in 2014 continues to trouble Andhra Pradesh and its growth in various sectors.

Speaking at a high-level meeting with the visiting members of the Commission headed by Chairman N K Singh, Chief Minister Jagan requested for Central loans and National Savings Institute advances amounting to Rs 22,733 crore to be waived off in light of the state’s financial position. Apart from making a fresh plea for special status for Andhra Pradesh, the YSRCP leader also elaborated on his plans for the state as promised to the people under the ‘Navaratnalu’ scheme. He sought a recommendation from the Commission for appropriate financial assistance from the Central government.

Severe perennial drought in Rayalaseema, floods in coastal districts were brought up in the meeting. The leader also officially stated that urbanisation in Andhra Pradesh is lower than the average for India. The per capita income too is lower than other states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, and Karnataka he said. The Chief Minister remarked that renowned institutions like the BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited), Indian Institute of Chemical Technology(IIC), HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) and ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) were in Telangana, limiting employment opportunities for people of Andhra Pradesh. Further, the CM added that the division of resources between the two Telugu states has not been completed yet.